Reflection by Dianne M. Traflet, J.D., S.T.D.
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Last Thursday, I was driving to work, trying to keep a spiritual focus with Christian music permeating the car. But, as usual, I became distracted as I got closer to the Bloomfield Toll Plaza. The Garden State Parkway often turns into a parking lot at Exit 149. Thursday morning was no exception. I turned the music louder. But as I slowly approached the toll, I saw signs that snapped me out of myself, and stayed with me throughout the morning.
“Fentanyl is everywhere.”
“Seatbelts save lives.”
“EZ Pass Paid.”
It’s amazing how many emotions I experienced in less than a minute: Alarm, fear, sadness, consternation, relief.
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I continued through the toll into the sea of cars hardly moving. After being stuck for a little while, I could finally drive 15 miles an hour, and that’s when I saw another sign: “Stay in Lane.” Gladly, I thought, if I could just see the lane.
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As I continued my trek to Seton Hall, I was grateful that the traffic jam was minor and that there were no accidents. But the “fentanyl is everywhere” sign kept coming back into my mind and heart. I considered the countless people who are struggling with addictions and difficulties, trapped in seemingly endless paralysis. Might there be a spiritual EZ Pass, helping us all to navigate through tough times? St. Thérèse of Lisieux would say: “Remember the Holy Face of Our Lord!” It is the face that looks at us with love, reminding us: “I’m here; I have not abandoned you. Please take my hand, and let me help you to get back into my lane.”
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Dear Lord, We know that you are everywhere, and you desire to save our lives. Guide and protect us; help us to stay in your lane. For those who feel stuck in the mire of addictions and afflictions, please give them hope and healing. For those who feel that they cannot escape life’s roadblocks, please provide them with a route to freedom. For those who today only know chaos, please give them your peace. For those who only see the evil surrounding them, please give them the grace to look up and see your face of love. Amen.
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Dianne M. Traflet, J.D., S.T.D., Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Administration and Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology, earned a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, an M.A. in Catholic Theology and Pastoral Ministry from The Institute of Advanced Studies of Catholic Doctrine, St. John's University, and an S.T.L. and an S.T.D. from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (The Angelicum), Rome. Dr. Traflet is a key leader in the Center for Diaconal Formation, and she gives numerous lectures, retreats, and days of recollection, including some specific to wives of deacons and deacon candidates. She is the author of Edith Stein: A Spiritual Portrait (Pauline Media, 2008).
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